Label
Councilman Delaney
Title
Objecting to the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in Janus v. AFSCME Council 31, which overturned four decades of protections for public-sector unions and threatens the ability of public-sector employees to join in unions for mutual aid and protection in collective bargaining.
Summary
WHEREAS, on June 27, 2018, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) issued its decision in Janus v. AFSCME Council 31, which overturned four decades of protections for public-sector unions and threatens the ability of public-sector employees to join in unions for mutual aid and protection in collective bargaining; and
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Council of the City of Toledo to express our displeasure with the Janus decision and reaffirm our support of unions, especially those representing the employees of the City of Toledo; and
WHEREAS, it is our belief that all families should have the opportunity and means to thrive in safe and healthy communities; and
WHEREAS, the working people who make the City of Toledo run deserve good, well-paying jobs that can support families; and
WHEREAS, over the last forty years, working people have become more productive than ever, yet real wages are declining, and CEOs now make more than ever before: 347 times more than the average person; and
WHEREAS, public workers organizing together have been at the forefront of peoples’ struggles for racial, gender, and economic justice throughout our history, including the teacher walkouts across the country this year; and
WHEREAS, still today, people across the country and in the City of Toledo struggle for a high quality of life for their families and some basic freedoms: the freedom from discrimination, the freedom from degrading work conditions, and the freedom to come together in strong unions to improve their place of work; and
WHEREAS, the ability to come together in unions gives people of all backgrounds, particularly women and people of color, a powerful voice in speaking up for themselves, their families, and their communities, and ensures they are treated with dignity and respect at work; and
WHEREAS, when people stick together in unions, they gain the power in numbers to raise wages and improve benefits like health care for themselves, their families, and all our communities; and
WHEREAS, people working collectively together in unions have won victories like ending child labor, the 40-hour work week, overtime pay, and health and safety standards, as well as advanced policies especially important to women like paid leave, earned sick time, and reducing the gender pay gap; and
WHEREAS, when people can negotiate together for strong contracts, higher wages, and safer, dignified working conditions, all of us benefit, the Toledo community is made stronger, and our entire economy is made fairer; and
WHEREAS, SCOTUS decided in favor of billionaire CEOs and corporate special interests behind Janus v. AFSCME Council 31, who manipulated the highest court in the land to do their bidding in the case; and
WHEREAS, this case overturned decades of precedent and undermines the freedom of millions of working people, especially women and communities of color, to join in strong unions; and
WHEREAS, those who work in the public service -- such as nurses, teachers, police officers, social workers, firefighters, 911 operators-are more determined than ever to stick together in their unions; and
WHEREAS, the City of Toledo provides services to all its residents because of the hard work of our neighbors who work in the public service, keeping our neighborhoods safe, providing health care, putting out fires, fixing our potholes, picking up our trash, and more, most of whom are represented by unions, which are now at risk; NOW, THEREFORE,
Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Toledo:
SECTION 1. That Toledo City Council supports the freedom of all employees throughout Toledo to exercise their rights to a voice and dignity on the job through joining together in strong unions.
SECTION 2. That Toledo City Council supports the rights of employees of the City of Toledo to join in strong public-sector unions.
SECTION 3. That Toledo City Council firmly opposes all attempts to undermine those rights, including the dreadful Janus decision.
SECTION 4. That the Clerk of Toledo City Council is hereby directed to send a copy of this Resolution to the following: (1) All members of the Supreme Court of the United States; (2) All members of the United States Congress, including members of the House and Senate, who represent any portion of Toledo; (3) The Chair of the Health Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee of the United States Senate, and the Chair of the Education and the Workforce Committee of the United States House of Representatives; (4) The President of the United States and his Secretary of Labor; (5) All members of the Ohio Legislature, including members of the House and Senate, who represent any portion of Toledo; (6) The Chair and Ranking Member of the Economic Development, Commerce, and Labor Committee of the Ohio House of Representatives; (7) The State Employment Relations Board of the State of Ohio; (8) The Governor of the State of Ohio; (9) The Executive Secretary of the Greater Toledo AFL-CIO; and (10) The Presidents of all labor unions representing employees of the City of Toledo.
SECTION 5. That this Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after the earliest date allowed by law.
Adopted: _________________: yeas ______, nays ______.
Attest: _________________________ __________________________________
Clerk of Council President of Council
Approved: ______________________ _________________________________
Mayor
I hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of a Resolution adopted by Council ________________________.
Attest: _________________________
Clerk of Council